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Thera 2.27: Nandaka
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(147):Nandaka Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =147. Nandaka= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Campā,1 in a aristocrat's family, he was named Nandaka. He was the younger 135 brother of Bharata, whose story will next be told. When both were come of age, they heard that Soṇa-Koḷivisa2 had left the world(for monkhood). And saying: 'Even Soṇa who is so delicate has gone forth(into monkhood); now what of us?' they, too, left the world(for monkhood). Bharata soon acquired sixfold abhiññā(higher knowledge), but Nandaka, through the strength of the corruptions, was not able to command insight, and could only practise for it. Then Bharata, wishing to help him, made him his attendant, and went forth from the vihāra. Sitting down near the road he discoursed to him of insight. Now a caravan passing by, an ox, unable to pull his cart through a boggy place, fell down. The leader had him released from the cart, and fed with grass and water. His fatigue allayed, the ox, reharnessed and strengthened, pulled the cart out of the bog. Then Bharata said: 'Did you see that business, brother Nandaka?' 'I did.' 'Consider its meaning.' And Nandaka said: 'Like the refreshed ox, I, too, must draw forth myself out of the swamp of saŋsara.' And taking this as his subject in practising, he won arahantship(enlightenment). Then to his brother he declared aññā(supreme attainment) in these verses: ---- 173 Yathāpi bhaddo ājañño khalitvā patitiṭṭhati,|| Bhiyyo laddhāna saɱvegaɱ adīno vahate dhuraɱ.|| || 174 Evaɱ dassanasampannaɱ sammāsambuddhasāvakaɱ,|| Ājānīyaɱ maɱ dhāretha puttaɱ buddhassa orasanti.|| || ---- 173 Even though he trip and fall, the mettled brute Of noble breed will firm stand once more. stirred yet again to effort new, Destroyed no longer, draws his load along. 174 So look on me as one who having learned Of Him, the all-enlightened One, and gained True insight, am become of noble breed, And of the Very Buddha son indeed. ---- 1 Capital of the Angas, now Bagulpur. Pronounced Champā. 2 See CCXLIII. The following object-lesson occurs in the case of Ramaṇīya-vihārin, as the Commentary reminds us (XLV.) ---- =2.3-7 147 Commentary on the stanza of Nandakatthera= The stanza starting with yathā pi bhaddo ājañño constitutes that of the venerable Thera Nandaka. What is the origin? This one also, having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, sprang up in a border region at the time of the Blessed One Sikhi; on having attained the age of intelligence, he became a forest wanderer and was roaming about, when, one day, he happened to have sighted the site of cloister-walk of the Master, became pious-minded and scattered down grain of sand. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in the family of a wealthy householder in Campā, when this Buddha arose. They gave him the name Nandaka. His eldest brother, however, was named Bharata. His ‘former connection’ (pubbayoga) will become clear (āvi) in the immediately following (anantara) story. Both of them also, having attained the age of intelligence, heard of the venerable Soṇa of good family (koḷivisaṃ) , who had become monk, said to themselves: “Even such a delicate dandy as Soṇa has became a monk; why should we not do so (kimaṅgaṃ)?,” and became monks. Out of the two, Bharata increasingly developed spiritual insight and became an Arahant with six sorts of higher-knowledge (abhiññā) but before long. On the other hand, Nandaka was not able to indulge in the development of spiritual insight (vipassanā) as far as it goes (tāva) owing to the condition of abundance of depravity; he just did the deed of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā). Thereupon, the Thera Bharata having come to know his inclination (āsaya), made his younger brother as his attendant follower (pacchāsamaṇa), because he was desirous of becoming a help (avassayo) to his younger brother, came out of the monastery, sat himself down near the road and taught (his younger brother) the discourse on developing spiritual insight (vipassanā). At that juncture, when a caravan of carts was on its journey, an ox, yoked to a cart, not being able to pull out its cart at a swampy spot stumbled and fell (paripati). As a result of that, the caravan leader unyoked the ox from the cart, gave it water to drink and grass to eat, removed its fatigue and later yoked it to bear the burden (dhure yojesi). Thereafter the ox whose fatigue had disappeared (vūpasantaparissammo), having gained back its vigour pulled that cart out of the swampy spot and had it established on the dry land (thala), Thereupon, the Thera Bharata asked Nandaka thus: “Friend Nandaka! Do you notice the deed done by this (ox)?” Having thus shown him, the Thera Bharata, on being told by his younger brother that he saw it, said thus:– “You should note this matter well.” The other said to himself thus: “According as the ox whose fatigue had been allayed moved out its burden from the swampy spot, in the same way my self should be borne out from the swamp of saṃsāra by me also.” He made the self-same incident even as his object of contemplation and doing the deed of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā), attained Arahantship but before long. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:– “I was formerly a deer hunter, in the woody forest; going about in search of flying deer (vātamiga), I lighted upon the cloister-walk (caṅkama). Having brought sand in my lap (ucchaṅga) I spread it down on the cloister-walk of the speaker of good words (sugata), possessor of graceful glory (sirimā), being pious-minded and good hearted. It was thirty one aeons (kappa) ago, that I spread down the sand; I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of sand (spreading). My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, he spoke two stanzas revealing his Arahantship (aññā) in the presence of his own eldest brother the Thera Bharata. 173. “According as an excellent thorough- bread, having stumbled, stood up again; much more did I gain remorse; without being wretched (adīno) it bore the burden. 174. “In the same way please recognise (dhāretha) me to be a thorough-bred, endowed with insight, the disciple of well self-awakened Buddha, the bosom-son of Buddha.” There, bhiyyo laddhāna saṃvegaṃ, adīno vahate dhuraṃ means: Having received remorse thus: “This is not commensurate with my congenital vigour exertion (jātibalavīriya), this namely, not bearing the burden that had come,”I am now not wretched (adīno), not low in spirits (adīnamānaso) but unclinging minded (alīnacitto). Alternatively there in such a reading as: “Alīno;” that even, is the meaning: “unattached.” Much more, again and again, simply all the more, he bears his own heavy burden and carried away (ubbahati). The rest is but in the manner as has been said in the Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Ramaṇīyavihārī before (heṭṭhā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Nandaka is complete. ----